Just know that you are still thought of and are missed.  R.I.P. Reggie!!!

(Part two:)
Reggie and I were very different from each other and came from very different backgrounds. You know Reggie’s history. I’m a white guy who grew up in the suburbs and was married with kids.  I lived on a small farm and had chickens, goats, and horses. 

However, our differences were never an issue, and Reggie and I got along great. We would not only spend hours together virtually every Sunday at Georgetown, we would help each other and look at for each other.  

Reggie was hardworking and honest. He never self-promoted or put on airs. Reggie was easy to be around. I can’t remember a time he complained or ever lost his temper. He has mellow, quick to smile, and laugh. We would talk about the weather (after all, we were selling year-round outside), customer interactions, and commiserate about how our sales were going. For entertainment, we would frequently rib each other. When I would tease Reggie, I can remember he would look at me out of the corner of his eye and say a drawn-out “Uh-huh.” He would give a verbal retort and then burst out laughing. Reggie had a great laugh.   

I know you don’t know me. I can’t remember ever meeting any of Reggie’s family. However, I loved Reggie and the next best thing to communicating with Reggie is to convey that love to those he was closest with. 

So, In part, I am writing this in the hope that it gives some consolation to Reggie’s family. In part, this letter is to honor Reggie. However, as I write this, I realize that this letter is also for myself. I need to express this. I would feel unjust not to reach out. I think Reggie would have liked that and he deserved no less. The world was a better place with Reggie in it. May he rest in peace.

Sincerely,
Paul Noble
641-451-7453


To the family and friends of Reggie,

I was saddened to see yesterday that Reggie had passed over a year ago. He was a little younger than me and seemed healthy, so it was a shock. When the link on the internet showed an obituary page, I thought it was probably not for ‘my’ Reggie Williams. So when I saw Reggie’s soulful eyes in the photo on the Dignity Memorial webpage, it was a kick in the gut. After reading the text of his obituary about his time at Georgetown, there was no denying it. Reggie was gone. I don’t know how he died but I hope he did not suffer.

Reggie and I were friends who sold our wares side-by-side for years at the Georgetown Flea Market. I stopped selling in 2006 and have not seen or spoken to Reggie since then. I moved out of the DC area (I live in Texas now) but I did come back to visit the people at the Georgetown Market years later. I was disappointed that Reggie was not there. He was the main reason I went to the market that day. He was the one I was closest to and enjoyed the most. After that, my life became focused on the here-and-now and not rekindling old relationships.   

The only reason I know of Reggie’s death was I decided to get proactive and send him a Christmas card this year. I wanted to say hi, and send him well wishes. I did not have an address. I hoped I could find contact information on the internet. Even though Reginald Williams is a common name, I suspected he still lived in Washington D.C. and, fortunately, I knew his middle name. I remember towards the end of my time at the market, Reggie announced that he had decided to go by ‘Orlando.’ From that time forward, I called him Orlando. However, his old moniker was so ingrained in my memory of him that I will always think of him as Reggie.

(This format restricts the number of words per message.  This is part one of my message.  Please see part two for the entire message-  Paul Noble)  

AVIS DE DÉCÈS

Reginald Orlando Williams

10 mars 1956 – 16 septembre 2019

Fort Lincoln Funeral Home & Cemetery

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